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Nuggets expect Chandler back soon

Forward has sat out every game since Nov. 12

By Benjamin Hochman The Denver Post

Posted:
12/24/2012 08:35:23 PM MST

DENVER -- Think back. When the Carmelo Anthony trade happened 22 months ago, one could have argued that the two best gets were Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler. Sure enough, Gallo is now the Nuggets' leading scorer, while Chandler, um, is he still even with the Nuggets?

Chandler's peculiar journey, which has taken him to China and under the knife, will finally take him back to the practice court. Denver expects forward Chandler, as well as backup point guard Julyan Stone, to return to practice in the first week of 2013.

Both players underwent similar hip injuries during the summer. Chandler, whose surgery happened first, returned to the Nuggets earlier this season but played just four games, averaging 6.5 points. The 6-foot-8 forward, now 25, then sat out every game since Nov. 12 to rest and rehabilitate his hip and groin.

Asked recently about Chandler, coach George Karl said: "I don't think he's playing in the near future. He might be playing in practice (come Jan. 1)."

The Nuggets' goal is that Chandler shows sturdiness and gains confidence during practices -- and then Karl could gain confidence in playing him.

When Chandler arrived in Denver from New York in the February 2011 trade, he was 23 and averaging 15.3 points and 5.4 rebounds. He was also a talented wing defender. But he played through foot pain in the 2011 playoffs, then went to China during the lockout that fall.

Chandler rejoined the Nuggets in mid-March 2012 and agreed to a five-year, $37 million deal, but he suffered a hip injury and only played eight games.

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As for Stone, the Nuggets front office is high on him. He's a 6-6, undrafted point guard who sees the floor well. He served as Denver's third point guard last season, and he could help spell veteran Andre Miller later this season.

December to remember

Quick, which Nugget is averaging 14.2 points per game in December? The answer is Corey Brewer, the swingman who has done so in 24.4 minutes off the Denver bench.

He's coming off a game Saturday against Charlotte in which he scored 10 points in 19 minutes, and had six assists, tying a career high.

After averaging 8.9 points per game last season (while shooting 26 percent on 3-pointers), Brewer is shooting 35.5 percent this year and averaging 11.9 points, his most since 2009-10 with Minnesota.

All while seldom this season getting a play called for him. Brewer is productive either in transition or while utilizing his spot in the corner, where he hoists 3s or cuts to the basket.

"And he's a pest on defense," teammate JaVale McGee said. "He gets a lot of his points from steals and help-side defense. Once the ball is shot, or even if the shot is made, he's already up the court, trying to get layups."

The big assist

The Nuggets are sixth in the league in assists, and they are fresh off a 36-assist game against the Bobcats, the most Denver "dimes" this season.

"We're just trying to make it become contagious," said guard Andre Iguodala, who averages 4.3 assists per game. "We have a lot of hungry guys, not selfish, out there to show what they can do, so sometimes we can get away from (assists). But once we realize that hard work mixed in with the extra pass or running the floor, when we do that, our win percentage is pretty high."

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